Two Miami firefighters were struck on I-95 while responding to an early morning vehicle wreck when a driver lost control of an SUV on an exit ramp.
Miami Patch reports that the firefighters were part of a crew that was extricating the driver of another vehicle on the 62nd Street exit ramp at about 2 a.m. Saturday when the SUV spiraled out of control.
"As firefighters were attempting to extricate the driver of a Nissan SUV, a Toyota SUV sideswiped the rescue truck, hitting two firefighters and eventually crashing into the rear of the fire truck," Capt. Ignatius Carroll of Miami Fire Rescue said.
A man riding in the Toyota that struck the firefighters was pronounced dead at the scene, while four others in the vehicle suffered serious injuries.
"The Toyota began to rotate towards the Fire Rescue personnel, striking two of them while they were outside the Engine," said Lt. Alex Camacho of the Florida Highway Patrol. "The Toyota also collided with city of Miami Fire Rescue Engine 6 and a concrete wall on the right shoulder."
Carroll said fellow firefighters immediately rushed to the aid of their injured colleagues.
"Firefighters rushed to the aid of their injured co-workers and found five people inside of the Toyota with serious injuries," Carroll said. "Paramedics requested additional units to respond for this Level 1 Mass Casualty Incident."
The Florida Highway Patrol said one of the firefighters was later released from a hospital and that the other was in stable condition.
